Room 101: Tom May – Northampton and former England centre

1. Warm ups
I don’t know if it’s because I have been playing for what seems like a long time now but I really hate warm ups. It’s nothing against Nick Johnston and his team at Northampton because it was the same at Toulon and Newcastle. Warm ups seem to take ages and half the time I’m not warm at the end of it! I’d be better off left to my own devices. From a sports science standpoint maybe what is prescribed is needed, but I don’t see what’s wrong with just doing a jog around the field, some stretching, a few passes and a couple of sprints.
TRP verdict:  You’re in…and while you’re at it throw in replacements warming up in the ‘in-goal’ areas during a game.
2. Golf etiquette
One thing I can’t stand is golf etiquette. As soon as you walk into many golf course clubhouses across the country stuffiness exudes from every single fibre of the Pringle sweaters that adorn the place. It’s a case of, ‘you can’t do this, you can’t do that…’ I know some people like that kind of thing – the rules involved in some sports – but it drives me insane. I think more people would play the game if there were less ‘traditionalists’ enforcing so many dos and don’ts! There should be a much more relaxed approach to the game. If you are playing golf casually you should be able to ask what clubs people are using and you should be able to touch the sand in the bunker pre shots. You can do that on the fairway, but not in a bunker. Why? It makes no sense.
TRP verdict:  You are right to be ‘teed off’ – you’re in.
3. Moaners
I’m a ‘half glass’ type of bloke so it really irritates me when I’m near or in the presence of someone who is constantly moaning about this, that and the other. In my view, we need to get away from people like this – the ‘energy sappers’.  They make it so hard for people who might be close to breaking, particularly when you’ve got a tough day’s training ahead of you’re in the freezing cold. I wish these people would just get on with the job in hand rather than moaning and bringing everybody else down. Dave Walder would have been the biggest moaner I have ever played with and against but at present the biggest culprit is probably Ryan Lamb!
TRP verdict:  We’re not in the States, Tom. Moaning is part of British culture. You’re out.